Developments in technology have been accompanied by an increased reliance on fuel sources and such fuel sources are becoming increasingly limited and difficult to acquire. With the burning of fossil fuels taking place at an unprecedented rate, it has likely that the world's fuel demand will soon outweigh the current fuel supplies.
As a result, efforts have been directed toward harnessing sources of renewable energy, such as sunlight, water, wind, and biomass. The use of biomasses to produce new sources of fuel which are not derived from petroleum sources, (i.e. biofuel) has emerged as one alternative option. Biofuel (biodiesel) is a biodegradable, clean-burning combustible fuel made of long chain alkanes and esters. Biodiesel can be used in most internal combustion diesel engines in either a pure form, which is referred to as “neat” biodiesel, or as a mix in any concentration with regular petroleum diesel. Current methods of making biodiesel involve transesterification of triacylglycerides (mainly vegetable oil) which leads to a mixture of fatty acid esters and the unwanted side product glycerin, thus, providing a product that is heterogeneous and a waste product that causes economic inefficiencies.